Governing Magazine Honors Bill Leighty

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's former chief of staff, William H. Leighty, has been named by Governing Magazine as one their 9 "Public Officials of the Year."

Leighty stepped down this summer after serving 18 months as Kaine's chief of staff. A veteran bureaucrat well respected by officials in both parties, Leighty also served as chief of staff during the four years Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) was in office.

Governing Magazine said Leighty is "a man whose stewardship of state government in a wide variety of roles helped make Virginia one of the best managed states in the country."